TalkingPoints Wins $250k From Google To Help Immigrant Students & FamiliesNonprofit breaks down language barriers between educators and families with mobile solution

TalkingPoints will receive $250,000 as a Google Bay Area Impact Challenge finalist to expand its multilingual texting platform throughout the Bay Area. It is the only tech-based nonprofit selected as a finalist. The top 10 nonprofits were chosen for their ability to provide innovative solutions that improve the lives of Bay Area residents. The public has the opportunity to vote for TalkingPoints to receive another $250,000 in additional funding from Google during a competition running from Sept 29-Oct 20.

TalkingPoints has built a multilingual texting platform used by educators, and families including those whose English is a second language, to increase parental involvement in their child’s education. The platform uses SMS messaging for ease of use without having to download an application and affordability for families lacking data plans.

“2 out of 5 Californian students speak a language other than English at home. It is likely to reach similar figures nationwide by 2040. Communication between teachers and parents is critical for student achievement. Parents need relevant, actionable information through accessible channels.” said founder Heejae Lim. “We want to give all parents the opportunity to be involved in their child’s education regardless of the language they speak or the kinds of technology they have available at home. We’ve started with communication, which is the first step in empowering teachers and families to become real partners in their children’s education, as a way of reducing the achievement gap”

Over the coming year, TalkingPoints plans to offer additional language support as well as expandinto schools beyond the Bay Area. Auto translation is just a starting point for this nonprofit. Ultimately, TalkingPoints plans to create native language texting programs targeted at specific issue areas, such as attendance, literacy, and the common core. This will allow educators and parents to effectively collaborate without essential information getting lost in translation to ensure students succeed.

“Google Impact Challenge: Bay Area is a fantastic opportunity for TalkingPoints to serve more schools in an increasingly diverse metropolitan region. In the Bay Area alone, over 100 languages are spoken by students’ families – it is one of the most multicultural cities in the US. Winning the popular vote in Google’s competition would accelerate our ability to deliver auto translation services to families looking to maximize their child’s education. Please take a few seconds and vote for TalkingPoints to help give us the capital needed to realize this vision.

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